howell



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

E. W. HOWELL.

BUCKET BLEVATOR.

No. 317,791. Patented May 1 2, 1885.

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(No Model.) BSheets-Sheet 2.

P. W. HOWELL.

BUCKET ELEVATOR.

Patented May l2, 1885.

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' P. W. HOWELL.

BUCKET ELBVATOR. 110.317,791. Peptented May 12, 1885.

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Nirnn STATES Ar'ENr dreien.

FREDERICK W. HOWELL, OF BUFFALO, NEV YORK.

BUCKT-ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,791, dated May 12, 1885.

Application tiled January 17, 1885.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, FREDERICK W. HOW- ELL, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bucket-Elevators, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to an improvement in bucket-elevators; and it consists of the improvements which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a bucket-elevator provided with my improvements: Fig. 2 is a similar view at right angles to Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the elevator. VFig. 4L is a fragmentary side elevation of one of the legs. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, and Fig. 6 an endelevation, of the relief-valve on an enlarged scale. Fig. 7 is a cross-section in line a: x, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the head-pulley, and A the 2 5 foot-pulley, of the elevator, a, the endless belt running around these pulleys, and a/ the buckets attached to the belt. Y

B represents the head-casing, which incloses the head-pulley A, and is provided with a discharge-spout, b. The casing B is provided on one side with an opening through which the head-pulley is inserted into the casing, and which is` closed by a plate or cover, B', which latter, when-secured to the casing, forms part of one of the side walls thereof.

c is the shaft of the head-pulley, journaled in bearings clcz, formed, respectively, on the casing B and cover B', and C is the drivingpulleymounted on one end of the shaft c.

D D are supporting -arms, formed on the casing B and secured to brackets d cl or other suitable support, so that the elevator and the shaft of its head-pulley are supported by the same parts, thus doing away with separate hangers for said shaft and simplifying the adjustments of the parts.

E E representtwo guide-pulleys, arranged in the casing B above the pulley A to bear upon the belt a. IThe pulleys E are secured to a shaft, e, which is held in a halfbearing, e', arranged on the shaft between the pulleys. The bearing e is constructed with an upward- (No model.)

ly-extending shank, e2, which is provided in the casing B with a spring, F, which holds the pulleys against the belt. Thebearingeisraised by a screw-nut, f, applied to the upper threaded end of the shank e`l when the pulleys E are required to be raised for placing the belt on the head-pulley A. When the belt is in place, the nut f is released and the full pressure of 63 the spring is applied to the wheels E, whereby the belt is clamped between the pulleys E and the head-pulley A, thereby avoiding the slipping of the belt. rIhe pulleys E are provided on their outer sides with hanges which over- 65 lapthe outer edges of the belt a, and prevent the latter from moving laterally out of its proper position on the pulley A, thereby preventing the belt from moving against one side of the casing. The latter is provided on its upper side with an extension, E', which covers the pulleys E.

g represents a spherical knuckle, formed at the end of the discharge-spout b, and G is an adjustable nozzle attached to said spout by a spherical end, g, which engages over the knuckle g, and is adjustable thereonv in every direction.

g2 is a fixed wooden spout, which enters the end of the nozzle G. In erecting an elevator the position of the fixed discharge-spout can often not be determined until the elevator is put in its place, andin fitting the iiXed wooden spout to the discharge-spout of the elevator complicated or difficult joints are frequently required. The adjustable nozzle G can be placed at any desired angle, and can therefore be connected with any ordinary iixed spout irrespective of the position ofthe latter, thereby avoiding much expense in erecting the elevator.

H H are the elevator -legs attached with their upper ends to sockets h, formed on the head-casing B.

I represents the boot or lower casing of the elevator provided with bearings t', in which is secured the shaft i', on which the foot-pulley A turns. The upper part of this casing is provided with two sockets, J .I, in which the lower ends of the legs II are loosely fitted, so as to slide therein. In order to reduce the friction between the legs and the sockets, these partslare provided with rollers j j. The boot IOO of the elevator is supported by the belt a ruuning around the pulley A', and when the belt stretches the boot descends by its own weight on the legs H, thereby keeps the belt tight. The upper portion of the boot I, on which the sockets J are formed, is preferably cast separate and secured to the lower portion by a joint, j. The sockets 7i and Jare provided on one side with detachable plates h J', so that the head-casing and boot can be placed on the legs sidewise after thelegs are secured in place in the building.

j2 represents oilconduits attached to the boot, and serving to conduct the refuse oil from the ends of the hub of the foot-pulley to the outside of the boot I.

K represents a relief-valve forming. the bottom or a portion of the bottom of the boot, and constructed to open automatically under an excessive accumulation .of material in the boot, and discharge the excess of material and then close again, thereby avoiding choking of the elevator and the injurious results thereof. The valve K is hinged to the boot at 7c, and supported at its free end by a weighted elbowlever, L, which is pivoted to the boot. The free end of the valve K is provided with a hook or nose, Z, which engages over a stud or roller, Z', on the short arm of the lever L when the valve is open, thereby limiting the opening movement of the valve. rlhe lever L is so weighted as to hold the valve closed under the normal weight of the material inA the boot, and to permit the valve to open when this weight rises above the normal,when the elevator would be liable to become choked or disarranged by the excess of material fed into the boot. The position of the lever L, when the valve is closed, is iiXed by a set-screw, Z2, attached to the lever and bearing against a stop, Z3, on the boot.

M is a hopper or receptacle secured to the boot I for the reception of the material which is discharged by the valve K. The valve K may be applied to the side of the boot, or it may be applied to any other part of the elevator-casing where it may be desired.

M' is a receiving-spout attached to one side of the boot I, and provided with a nozzle, N, which is connected with the spout by a spherical joint, m, so as to be adjustable in every direction, thereby facilitating the connection therewith of the fixed feed-spout m'. The latter is loosely fitted into a sleeve, a, formed on the nozzle N, so that the parts can move one on the other as the boot I descends in tightening the belt. The lower end of the receiving spout M' is provided with a marginal flange, m2, which is fitted against the side of the boot and held on the same by an overlapping ring, m, so that the receiving-spout M' can be turned on the boot, thereby increasing the range of adjustment of the receiving-spout and of the nozzle N. After the spout M is adjusted, it is secured in position by a setscrew, m4.

O is a similar receiving-spout formed on one of the legs H, and provided with a nozzle, O',

connected withthe spout by a spherical joint, O2, and with the fixed feed-spout O3 by a sleeve, O.

p is an air-inlet opening formed on the descendingside of the elevator-preferably in the boot Ieand through which air is drawn into the` elevator by the moving buckets for Ventilating the elevator. The opening p is covered with wire-gauze, and provided with a slide, p', by which it can be partly closed, if desired, and whereby the airsupply can be regulated. v

gis a scraper-plate secured in the bottom of the head-casing B and bearing against the under side of the pulley A, so as to detach therefrom any material which may adhere tothe same. The detached material is discharged through an opening, q', formed in theY ing against the upper side of the pulley A to l detach the material therefrom. This scraper is set at an angle and discharges the detached material through an opening, r', in the side of the boot.

I claim as my inventionl. In a bucket-elevator, the combination, with the head-pulley, of an inclosing-casing carrying bearings in which the shaft of the head-pulley is journaled, said casing being provided with arms whereby the casing is supported, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with an elevator-pulley, of an inclosing-casing having an'opening in its side through which the pulley is inserted, a cover by which said opening is closed, and pulley bearings or supports formed on the casing and cover, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the head-pulley A, of the casing B and cover B', provided with bearings c c2, and the supporting-arms D, formed on the easing B, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the head-pulley and its inclosing-casing, of pressure-pulleys E, adapted to run upon the belt, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the head-pulley and its inclosing-casing, of pulleys E, adapted to run upon the belt, a bearing, e e2, and a pressure-spring, f, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the head-pulley and its inclosiug-casing, of pulleys E, provided with flanges which overlap the outer sides of the belt and Vguide the latter on the headpulley, substantially as set forth.

7. rlhe combination, with the head-casing of a bucket-elevator, of the adjustable nozzle G, connected with the discharge-spout of said casing by a spherical joint, substantially as set forth.

8. In an elevator, the combination,with the ,fixed head portion, of a movable boot supported by the elevator-belt, whereby the belt is tightened by the weight of the boot, substantially as set forth.

IOO

IIO

IZO

9. The combination, with the fixed elevator head and legs, of a movable boot, I, provided with sockets J,Which slide on the legs, head and foot pulleysA A', and endless belt a, sub- 5 stantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with an elevatorcasing, of a relief-valve which is opened automatically by an overpressure of the material, and whereby the excess of material is auto- 10 matically discharged therefrom, thereby preventing the choking of the elevator, substantially as set forth.

1l. The combination,with an elevator-casing, of a relief-valve, K,pivoted to the casing,

I 5 and a Weighted lever, L7 which automatically controls the opening and closing of the valve, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination, with a bucket-elev ator and its inclosing-casing, of a venti1ating-open- 2O ing formed in said case and through which air is drawn into said case by the moving buckets, substantially as set forth.

18. The combination,with a bucket-elevator and its inclosing-casing, of the Ventilating- 2 5 opening @formed in the descending leg of the case and provided with a slide, p', substantially as set forth.

14. The combination,with the elevator-casing, pulleys, and the endless belt passing 3o around said pulleys, of Scrapers bearing against said pulleys and openings formed in the casing for the discharge of the material detached by the Scrapers, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination, with the elevator-cas- 3 5 ing, of the receiving-spout M and the receiving-nozzle N, connected With said spout by a spherical joint, m, substantially as set forth.

16. The combination, with the elevator-casing, of the swiveled receivingspout M', at- 4o tached to the casing, and the nozzle N, connected with said spout by a universal joint, substantially as set forth.

17. rllhe combination, with the leg H, of the receiving-spout Oand the receiving-nozzle O', 45 connected with said spout by a spherical joint, O2,substantially as set forth.

18. The combinatiomwith the end casing of an elevator and the legs thereof, of sockets formed on the end casing for the reception of 5o the legs and provided With removable side plates, whereby the casing can be applied side- Wise to the xed legs, substantially as set forth.

Vitness lny hand this 10th day of January, 55 1885.

FREDERICK W. HOWELL. Witnesses:

JN0. J. BONNER, C. F. GEYER. 

